The Pittwater Presbyterian Church is at Newport Beach, NSW, Australia The ministry coordinator is Rob Lamont. Rob comes with a wealth of ministry experience including being the NSW Coordinator of Youth And Children Work for Bible Society and the Schools Coordinator for Scripture Union. Rob has been in ministry for over 40 years and has preached in over 600 different Churches across Australia. Rob has also taught at a dozen Bible or Theological colleges. He has written 23 books mainly aimed at being resources for Youth Ministry. Rob is Reformed Evangelical with a passion for Bible Teaching. The
Tears often are expressed at the times of our deepest emotions. After Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that he was the Messiah, he went silently to a high point that overlooked Jerusalem. It bought him to tears as he prayed. What impact did this have on him?
Palm Sunday had Jesus fulfilling prophecy from Zechariah before the crowds eyes. Walking on the Mount of olives was the centre of the prediction. This is Jesus showing that he was the Messiah.
Money should you be a monk or chase prosperity Doctrine - Luke 12: 23-34
The Old Testament had 613 laws, that the Pharisees were obsessed with. To obey many rules would need a person to be wealthy. The Pharisees tried to invent rules that opened the door to everyone. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ILHzpdDEMLI&feature=youtu.be
The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11 https://youtu.be/Bs0ScpU682Y
In the parable of the good Samaritan the priest and Levite had very good reasons to not touch the injured man. Do you know why?
If you want to be happy learn to be thankful. However, we need to be thankful in all situations but that does not mean thankful for all situations.
“It all starts with our heart” God examines are heart and our response Lk 6:43-49 If you stood back and truly examined being a Christian it is about being forgiven when we don't deserve it and at the centre of our being we desire to serve God with our whole heart.
If Jesus was sinless, then why did He get baptised? Why was sprinkling used so much as an image of baptism? Who were sprinkled or baptised in the Old Testament?
Psalms: the Messiah's resurrection and exhalation predicted - Psalm 16
Songs of praise are rare in the New Testament, but Luke 1 records one by Mary. It starts with personal praise by Mary and finishes with global and timeless praise for Jesus.
Christmas reminds us that God is in control of our salvation. Prophecies about Jesus start in Genesis. Predictions include being born of a virgin, being born in Bethlehem. God uses an unknown young girl, in a backwater village to bring his Son into the world
If our greatest need was economic, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need was entertainment, God would have sent us a comedian If our greatest need was political stability, God would have sent us a politician. If our greatest need was health, God would have sent us a doctor. If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Saviour.”
Messianic psalms are quoted in eleven New Testament books, and predictions about Jesus are found in 26 Psalms. He is called King of the Jews, son of God, He calls God Father, the only begotten son, Messiah Eternal, creator of all things Lord and King and Creator. Many people would like to leave Jesus as a teacher or moral crusader but the Bible is clear He is the Son of God.
What should biblical worship look like? Westminster confession of Faith article 21 worship
Because the government changes a law does that change morality? Can Christians go against government policy? . The Anglican Church may split over gay blessings. Is this the core value for splitting a denomination? Where does conscience fit in controversy? https://youtu.be/Tgi6SVxCwQw
What does give glory to God mean
Two crucial issues facing today's church is those who no longer believe God's standards as expressed in the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus. On the other hand are those who don't think grace is enough to save you. True believers need to hold God's law and grace despite the possible tension. You cannot ditch one for the other. https://youtu.be/dzjgwdzCTs0
Rob away this is a older talk.
The cost of forgiveness (the saga of a runaway slave pt2) - Philemon 1:8-
The biggest question church going high school students would ask was ‘Am I a real Christian, will I get saved? Will I go to Heaven? Do you have assurance of your salvation?
How Paul deals with a runaway slave - Philemon
Our good works are in response not the cause of Salvation. We need to be careful that we present good works as grace driven and are not works based. Our holiness is not self-achieved but a response to the love of God.
Rob is away this week so we are playing one of his old talks. 6 wrong ways we can twist the Bible - 1 Thessalonians 2
Vision of the New Temple 40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city.[a] 2 In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4 And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” The East Gate to the Outer Court 5 And behold, there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth[b] in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6 Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.[c] 7 And the side rooms, one reed long and one reed broad; and the space between the side rooms, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end, one reed. 8 Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, on the inside, one reed. 9 Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its jambs, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end. 10 And there were three side rooms on either side of the east gate. The three were of the same size, and the jambs on either side were of the same size. 11 Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits. 12 There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side. 13 Then he measured the gate from the ceiling of the one side room to the ceiling of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; the openings faced each other. 14 He measured also the vestibule, sixty cubits. And around the vestibule of the gateway was the court.[d] 15 From the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits. 16 And the gateway had windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.
One of the hardest things for a person to do is to take responsibility for their own sins and behaviour. Repentance is becoming a rare concept even among Christians. Is it time for us to rediscover this key Bible teaching.
Why have so many misunderstood faith? - Westminster Confession of Faith article 15 - Hebrews 11
Sadly, some churches become obsessed by holiness which is secretly a back door to salvation by works. It is easy to turn our holiness into a good work. However, the bible teaches that our salvation and our holiness are all about grace - a God given gift.
Some of us have great families, others have families that are a mess. However, the family is the basic unit of relationship that each of us have been part of. God sees the intimacy of family as a pointer to his relationship with us. We are adopted into his family
The key difference between classic Protestants and Roman Catholics is how we are saved. Justification is the central Doctrine. Just as if we had never sinned.
If people are converted by the gift of public speaking then it would be eloquence not conviction that brings salvation. If people are converted by the brilliance of our arguments then it would be intellect not the Holy Spirit. It is not how good you speak or what you know but a work of God from beginning to end that truly transforms people to Christ.
Some Christians struggle in churches where the pastor thinks the Trinity is Father, Son and Holy Bible. Others know that the Holy Spirit is the ‘elephant in the room' of their church. What are ten great promises the Bible reveals about the Holy Spirit?
Providence was a central belief when the reformation movement started.
For most people their most intimate relationship is with their marriage partner. This is the result of a wedding and starting with a covenant marriage. God used Covenant to defined his relationship with us. Dating is nothing like a marriage. Deep speaks to deep. Time creates meaningfulness. So why did God use covenants to define our relationship with him?
As people attack key Christian beliefs many are not aware how much they have been watered down. Some see sin as a poor self esteem, being a little sick or just misguided. The Bible says we are DEAD in our sin. Is it time for you to understand sin fully ?
The desire of many to replace doctrine with dialogue has more to do with people wanting to give their opinion than to hunger to discover God's will. https://www.facebook.com/Ministryblue
The basis of argument between evolution and creation is not science but philosophy. Is our universe by chance or order, Purpose or chaos. If chance then nothing is absolute Nothing is by nature right We are left with one question unanswered ‘What is right?' https://www.facebook.com/Ministryblue
Is God in control? Does God know the future? Does God know our thoughts? Does God know what we will d in our life? Sovereignty of God quotes Prayer assumes the sovereignty of God. If God is not sovereign, we have no assurance that He is able to answer our prayers. Our prayers would become nothing more than wishes. But while God's sovereignty, along with his wisdom and love, is the foundation of our trust in Him, prayer is the expression of that trust. Jerry Bridges Although the sovereignty of God is universal and absolute, it is not the sovereignty of blind power. It is coupled with infinite wisdom, holiness and love. And this doctrine, when properly understood, is a most comforting and reassuring one. Who would not prefer to have his affairs in the hands of a God of infinite power, wisdom, holiness and love, rather than to have them left to fate, or chance, or irrevocable natural law, or to short-sighted and perverted self? Those who reject God's sovereignty should consider what alternatives they have left. Loraine Boettner I think to trust in the sovereignty of God does not excuse my personal responsibility. Just the opposite – it equips me to be personally responsible. Max Lucado It is amazing how many revivals and how meant evangelism courses have been linked to those who hold the sovereignty of God as a key doctrine Westminster Confession article 3 Sovereignty of God The Creed teaches that God, from all eternity ordained everything that ever happen predestined is used 5 times in the NT. 1. WE ARE CHOSEN BY GOD Ephesians 1:5 Ephesians 1:11 Romans 8:29-30 2. GOD SET PEOPLE APART FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE Jeremiah 1:5 3. THE COURSE OF NATIONS IS CHOSEN BY GOD Acts 17:26. 4. WE CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND HIS PURPOSE Romans 11:33 The OT saw that God was fully in control Isaiah 14:24 Isaiah 14:27 Isaiah 46:9, II. What is does the Bible teach 1. We are not robots? Although God is in control he has not made us robots 2 Corinthians 5:10 James 4:17 Galatians 6:7-8 2. God is not the author of sin James 1:13. 1 John 1:5 3. God is aware of sin but not the cause of sin Acts 2:23 Acts 4:27-28 John 19:11 God planned for Jesus to die but his killers are also responsible and chose their actions. 4. We still have choice James 1:13-16 Deuteronomy 30:19 5. GOD CHOOSES BY GOD NOT OUR MERIT Deuteronomy 7:6 2 Timothy 1:9 Ephesians 1:11 6. (7) We are saved by his free grace and love, without any foreseeing of their faith, or their good works, 1 Timothy 1:9 7. As God has appointed those whom he chose to glory and foreordained all the means of bring it about. Thus those who are chosen, • are redeemed by Christ, Colossians 1:14 • are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith, to salvation. Ephesians 1:4 justified Romans 5:1. justified Titus 3:7 adopted Colossians 1:12-13, sanctified: 1 Thessalonians 4:3: sanctified: Romans 12:1. 8. predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, so that people, giving attention to the will of God revealed in his Word and yielding their obedience to it. Proverbs 16:33 III. What has God set you apart for? We can be confident that God will never let us go
Racism is a current hot topic but was a Biblical understanding of racism?
One of the key doctrines denied by cults is Jesus is God, the Son. The Trinity was denied often in the 3-4th Century and then again in the 18-21C. Want to hear what proof we have for the Trinity and how to answer 4 main objections.
The Westminster confession of Faith - art. 1 the Bible: 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Many want an answer to ‘why does God allow suffering?' For Christians a deeper question is how am I to respond when I face suffering and the apostle Peter deals with this in his first letter.
After Nero burnt down 70% of the buildings in Rome and left half the people homeless, he blamed the Christians. What would you have told the Christians, many now homeless to support them Hear what Peter wrote And be encouraged
“Jesus descended into Hell' Hell has different meanings in the Bible which has led to some weird understanding of its meaning. So what did Jesus do between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?
The apostle Peter towards the end of his life wanted to encourage believers who were being persecuted, he saw the core to be ‘love your neighbour' The centre of our being is love, care, compassion and humility. Peter's desire was not to win an augment but to win a soul.